There is disclosed in the prior art, several types of collapsible and foldable tents and similar structures which use armatures made of wire loops across which sheets of canvas have been spread and attached about their periphery. U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,892 Norman, which patent is incorporated in this specification by this reference, discloses a typical embodiment of this type of structure.
In most self-erecting canvas structures of the prior art, the structural or supporting elements are constituted by roof, wall and floor panels, each including a resiliently wire frame. In some cases, one of the wire frame-supported elements is strengthened or replaced by external supporting or anchoring components such as posts, stakes, and other rigid implements which add weight and volume to the structure in its collapsed configuration.
The instant invention results from an attempt to simplify the construction of collapsible and foldable canvas structures by limiting the number of framed panels.